Linea 4

By Parson Thru

Fri, 08 Sep 2017
  • 2230 reads
11 comments
 

Twelve-thirty, teaching done

A carriage filled with motley souls

winding south

 

There being no signal on this line

I worry-out the tangle in my earphones

 

Opposite, a woman watches

Rheumy eyes set only to receive

 

In my hand, I scroll the list of artists

back and forth

 

It lands on Ryan Bingham:

Texan country-blues

Two albums in the list

-- I choose “Junky Star”

 

The Metro’s so noisy

I turn the sound up high

 

The app chastises me:

I’ll take a chance

 

The woman opposite has gone,

replaced by another

who takes in every single thing

through plastic oval frames

 

The man in green beside her

watches only feet:

He’s a foot-watcher – specialist

 

The woman’s gaze  

moves up from my rucksack,

along my bodyline,

resting on my eyes

 

I wonder what she’s thinking:

“Guiri.” maybe

 

A guiri headed into town

 

The foot-watcher scans the carriage floor,

watching feet

Certificate U
Poem
Parson Thruses Dairy
Travel

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I like the way you describe your observations in this piece. People watching can make for interesting writing.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Hi Jenny. Thank you. Yes, it can. Perhaps because we're watching ourselves.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Ewan on

come to accept being a "guiri". That outsider status helps with the writing, especially if i do delve into La Vida Andaluz. Did you know, there are 300,000 analfabetos (illiterates) in Spain? Many will be down here in Andalucia, the majority older women and Roma although here they are Gitanos.

Your foot-watching fellow was intriguing, best he doesn't accept the epithet "podophile", there might be a misunderstanding.

Keep on keeping on, PT.

best

Ewan.

P.S. Public transport takes us to as many places in our mind as on their routes.

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Hi Ewan.

I need to investigate Andalucía more. Heading down to Cádiz on 19 September. You're in Sevilla, aren't you? Maybe we should encontramos sometime. For now, I'm clanging away and howling Dylan songs to celebrate a successful end of first week. Always guiri, I suppose. I'll settle for that if the españoles keep being nice to me.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Ewan on

I spent 4 months in Seville doing TEFL quals at the RAF's expense before I finally hung up the flying suit. I live in the country in Malaga Province.

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Our haircuts don't advertise our heritage.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Sounds idyllic.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Ewan on

Malaga city really is worth a visit. Marbella isn't . I live between two towns, Coín and Alhaurín El Grande. We have some spectacular views .

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Accidentally arrived at Malaga on the weekend of the beach airshow several years ago. We'd had to postpone part 1 of the yet unfinished Greyhound tour of the USA due to my dad's illness, so did the ALSA tour instead. Been back once since to take the train to Cordoba.

Parson Thru

Submitted by london_calling79 on

You should check out Ronda if you're down that direction. Truly stunning and they talk loudly behind the guiri's backs. Would love to see your atmospheric prose laying bare the folk down there.

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Will Google.

Parson Thru